


Wingwoman

by Tigi



Category: Skulduggery Pleasant - Derek Landy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:28:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29161923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tigi/pseuds/Tigi
Relationships: Tanith Low/China Sorrows
Kudos: 3





	Wingwoman

,,You know what I have noticed?"

,,No, as a matter of fact I don't no what ridiculous thingh you have noticed again."

,,I don't notice ridiculous thinghs, I notice interesting, amazing and downright sensational stuff."argues Valkyrue and glares angrily at Skulldugerry.

,,You mean like the fact the man who was our last murder had a weird beard?"asked Skulldugery.

,,Oh come on, he did have a weird beard, I mean why did he do that to his face?   
I mean he does looks into the mirror from time to time, doesn't he?  
So why not have a beard that actually looks good?"replied Valkyrie annoyed.

,,I don't know maybe he doesn't care about the way he looks that much."pointed Skullduggery out.

,,As if you would know you spent an hour every day trying out wich hat looks the best."

,,That's research."

,,Reserach for what?"asked Valkyrie and threw him a weird glance.

,,I am the only sketon that we know of, so I naturally took the great burden upon me, to find out what a skeleton looks best in."answered Skulldugery her.

,,So if we ever met another Skeleton ypu will tell them how they can look as good as you do?"asked Valkyrie sarcastic.

,,Please no one looks as good at me.  
And I know it's a hard fact to accept that you or anyone else will never look as good as I do, but I am sure one day you will manage to accept it."assured Skulldugery and completly misses her sarcasm.

,,Well let's go back to the thingh I noticed."changed Valkyrie the subject then, or well....at least she tried, an always talking never shutting up Skeleton didn't make things like that easy.  
Especially when said Skeleton was required to shut up.

,,Are you sure or do you want to talk about the fact that you aren't as pretty as I am?  
I lately heard that it is good to talk about uncomfortable things."

Valkyrie just ignored him ,,Anyway, in the last few months I have spent a lot time working with you and it was great really...."

,,Are you going again?"interrupted Skullduggery her immediatly and she could hear the concern in his voice.

,,No of course I am not."snaps Valkyrie at him and adds ,,And now shut the hell up."

,,Okay."agrees Skulldugery for once ,,But if I could just add something...."

,,No."growls Valkyrie and then she calms herself down and smiles again ,,What I was about to say is that we worked a lot and that I just need a littel break."

,,A break? But everything is going so well now, you me and sometimes Temper are such a great team.  
And now I mentioned him Temper never asked for a break, why do you need one?"complained Skulldugery.

,,He told me, that he asked for a break repeatedly and you always just said no."pointed Valkyrie with a frown out.

,,Ahhh that...yeah I was thinking he was joking."told Skulldugery her.

,,He told me too he said he wasn't joking."

,,I thought that was irony."admitted Skullduggery.

,,Anyway I and Temper want a break and we will be back at work next...let's say Monday."

,,Today is Monday."and if Skulldugery would have been able to frown he would have done so, now.

,,Yes, we are taking a week of."simply told Valkyrie him and then ordered him to,,Now drive me to that niece littel bar on the west side of Roarheaven."

,,What are you doing there?"asked Skullduggery suspicously while he turned the Bently around.

,,Tanith, China and Temper are going to meet me there and we are going to have some fun."answered Valkyrie him with a littel statificied smile now that everything was going according to her plan.

,,Maybe I will join you."told Skullduggery her then and she gave him an odd look as soon as he said that.

,,Why are you starring at me like that?"asked Skullduggery.

,,You aren't exactly a....fun person."

,,I can have fun."

,,Maybe....not really, but more importantly you can't drink."pointed Valkyrie out.

,,How is that an disadvantage?"

,,Well...maybe it isn't really an disadvantage most of the time, but just try to picture us all drunk and then there would be you, all sober."

,,Now I get it, in that case I will stay as far away from you and the others for the following week."

,,That isn't what I meant."mumbled Valkyrie but let it slip, At least he wasn't going to be there and ruin her carefully planned out plan.

,,Maybe but I appreciate the warning anyway and now we are there, please try not to die until Moday."told Skullduggery and brought the Bently to an halt.

,,Awww am I finally growing on you?"asked Valkyrie with a smirk.

,,No, I just don't want to have to train another protege."told Skullduggery her while Valkyrie opened the door and just starred at him.

,,Seriously?"she asked and then just shook her head in disappointment and got out.

Temper was already waiting before the entrance to the bar and immediatly brightened up, when he saw Valkyrie and started walking towards her.

,,I am so glad you are finally here, have you heard anything about the others?"asked Temper sounding slightly worried, probably because Valkyrie was already a littel late.

,,I don't know why they aren't here yet, but I will text them and we can go inside."suggested Valkyrie and Temper nodded relieved to get out of the cold into the warmth.

For once they were lucky and there was no queue in front of the bar yet and they managed to get into the bar in a matter of seconds.  
As soon as they went in they were welcomed by the rock 'n roll music to wich many people were dancing in the middle of the room.  
It looked like fun, but Valkyrie decided she had to wait until she was a littel tipsy until she actually good give dancing a try.

,,How about we get a drink first and wait at the bar?"asked Temper and Valkyrie nodded in agreement and they pushed their way trough the crowd.  
Strangely that reminded her of her date with Fletcher and with regret she realised that this was the first time she was going out to have fun for years.  
But at least now she was having fun and that had to be enough she decided.

,,Sure."she replied and followed Temper to the bar where they each order a beer.  
After that a awkward pause followed, where none of them knew what to say next.

,,What are you going to with your free time?"asked Valkyrie him then, hoping that they could fill the silence with a littel smalltalk until, the rest of their group came.

,,I am not quite sure yet, I haven't had much free time since ....well I don't know when the job became my life."stated Temper with an awkward laugh ,,But I will find something to do, probably have some fun."

,,Sounds good."told Valkyrie and took a sip from her beer.

,,Yeah, sure."muttered Temper and then added ,,honestly it feels more like I am having finally some free time and I just have no clue what to do because I don't exist outside of my job."

I feel like that too, realised Valkyrie at least sometimes.  
Sure she had Melitisa and she always had a nice time with her girlfriend....  
But I still miss my family.  
I miss that time when I just could go home....  
....when there was a home to go to.  
These days she feels always guilty as soon as she steps trough the door, into her old home.  
Every time she sees her littel sister, she can only remember how she killed her, in order to save the world.

,,I know that feeling."says Valkyrie in the end, not sure if she could or should tell Temper alk this.  
Unsure how he would deal with knowing that she killed her littel sister.

,,Is that why you went to America?"asks Temper and when she looks at him he hurriedly adds ,,I mean I know you went because of the whole Darquesse thing, but apart from that....did you needed time away from your job too?"

She never thought about it like that, all she could think about that at this time was....   
Death.  
Darquesse.  
All the people I killed.  
My sister.  
My family.  
Roarheaven.  
The city I destroyed.  
Home.

But she never thought it had to do anything with her job.  
With Skullduggery.

,,Maybe."replies Valkyrie in the end, but mostly just to get that theme of the table.

Maybe Temper sensed her discomfort because he tried to change the theme,,Who else did you invite to tag along?"

,,Tanith, do you know her?"asks Valkyrie still a littel absent minded.

Temper shrugs takes a sip of his beer and then replies ,,I heard rumours and gossip about her, but I never let her in person."

,,She's cool."tells Valkyrie him and then frowns ,,I mean when she is on your side and not trying to kill you.....then she is cool."

,,Then I hope she is on our side."muttered Temper looking a littel paler.

,,She is."assured Valkyrie him and then thought it a littel bit over ,,Well actually she isn't directly on the Sanctuaries side, because she thinks such a large organisation can't be good.  
But apart from that she is totally on our side."

Temper just starred at her and then slowly said ,,You know that I work for the Sanctuary, don't you?"

,,Of course I do."replied Valkyrie sounding a littel insulted.

,,Well, anyway...who else did you invite to this, or is this it?"asked Temper sounding a littel suspiciously, wich he had no right to be thought Valkyrie, after all Tanith was good and just because she didn't liked the Sanctuaries didn't mean she wouldn't like Temper.  
Or at least she hoped that would be the case.

,,China."answered Valkyrie finally after a littel pause and immediatly Tempers eyes widened and he looked like he was ready to abandon her right there and now.

,,Have you lost your mind?"asked Temper and slowly pinched himself trying to find out if this was a dream or not, sadly he didn't woke up, so this had to be real.

,,Why?"asked Valkyrie back with a sweet smile and Temoer glared angrily at her.

,,She's my boss."

,,Texhnically she is more the boss of your boss."

,,That doesn't make it better, not even in the slightested, in truth it even makes it worse."told Temper her.

,,Calm down, this is not about you."tried Valkyrie him, wich got her another suspicious glare.

,,Damn it, Valkyrie Cain what is your plan for this?"asked Temper immediatly.

,,It's a good plan."assured Valkyrie him.

,,A good plan in your case normally means the possibility of dying."muttered Temper under his breath but she still could hear it.

,,And you are still alive."reminded Valkyrie him with a smile, but a part of her was painfully reminded of all the ones that were dead.

The rest of the remaining time, they waited quitly until Tanith arrived five minutes later and hugged Valkyrie as a greeting and then looked questioning at Temper.

,,Tanith this is Temper and Temper this is Tanith."introduced Valkyrie the two of them to each other.

,,Nice too meet you Temper."started Tanith and then exchanged some pleasantries with Temper, but they were interrupted a littel bit later by the most beautiful woman of the world.

Tanith turned around and for a moment the world was reduced to the sight she had of the woman.  
She always forgot how beautiful the enemy could be.

This hair..  
Black and probably soft.  
And the mouth.  
Formed to a tiny smirk.  
So arrogant.  
So unlikeable.  
So beautiful.  
And the eyes.....  
So, so blue...   
So pale a icy shade of blue.  
Like glaciers.  
So astonishing.  
I can't deny it.  
Like ice.  
So cold.  
So deathly   
I could drown in these eyes, despite the promise of death.

By curling her hands up in fists and digging her nails in her flesh Tanith reminds herself that China is more then beautiful, China is above all....China.

,,That's who you invited?"grits Tanith out and glares daggers at Valkyrie, who only shrugs, smiles and then sips casually on her beer.

It's a long time since China went out and when Valkyrie asked she thought....why not.  
Of course there is work.  
Whole mountains of papers.  
All waiting to be signed.  
I deserve some free time.  
Still there are duties....  
.....not tonight.  
No duties.  
No annoying meetings.  
No fake smiles.  
Just....fun.  
Relaxing .  
After all this work I deserve a break.

And so China for once ignored all of the pressure she is under and that she is cought in.  
She escapes all the responsibility that seems to cage her and keeps her locked up in a prison.  
For a littel time she will escape the ocean of work that is drowning her.

And when she enters the littel bar a smile is openly on her face and for once it is genuine.  
Then she looks around searching taking some steps inside and finally finds them sitting at the bar.  
Her eyes find Taniths.

God she's back.

That's all China can think at first and then she realises a littel more thinghs.

She's still good looking.  
Curly blond hair....  
Like the sun.  
Blue eyes that....  
That once were full of love...  
Can she even love...  
After her love died....  
Will she ever be happy?  
Maybe.  
Life is often cruel.  
After all it took my brother...  
It should have taken me.

She still hates me.  
Blue eyes.  
Beautiful.  
Warm.  
Loving.  
Full of hate.

It takes China a second to realise that she actually froze and didn't move and she curses herself for that.  
After all she can't show weakness like that, not when the eyes are always on her.  
So she takes control again and makes her way over to the other three.  
This is going to be fun, she thinks dryly.

,,I didn't knew that you were invited."states Tanith as soon as China is within earshot and in response China graces her with a smile.

,,Of course you haven't my dear, or you wouldn't be here, would you?"asks China slightly amused.

,,Probably."tells Tanith her ,,After all you are probably the most greedy Grand mage anyone has ever heard of."

,,Greedy?"asks China and arches an eyebrow gracefully looking down at Tanith with a smile.  
A smile, she knows Tanith hates because it seems patronizing.  
And oh god, she loves to anger Tanith, loves to see her blow up.....

,,Calm down the two of you."interrupts Valkyrie them ,,I know that two of ypu think that the other one...... well let's just say there were problems in the past.  
But right now isn't the past, get it together you two."snapos Valkyrie at them and China is once again reminded that Valkyrie isn't the littel girl anymore.  
Even trough it is sometimes hard to understand how out of this littel fierce girl this woman could become.  
But then it's moment like that that reminded China the most of the littel girl.  
Fire.  
Passion.  
And not like the way Valkyrie was broken and scared, when China met her again, as if Valkyrie had simply faded away over time.  
Maybe she is back now.  
Maybe she is pretending, like China does so often herself.

,,Fine."mumbles Tanith and then glares at China ,,But I swear if she tries anything...."

,,My dear Tanith, I don't know why you are always so mistrusting when it comes to me.  
Really I am starting to feel a littel hurt."

,,That's good the maybe you will understand how people sometimes feel."snaps Tanith at her angrily her eyes full of anger.

,,Tanith..."tries Valkyrie to interrupt once again.

But Tanith only turns around towards Valkyrie, like a caged animal that's biting everyone that comes in reach of it, enemy and friend alike.  
,,Somone has to tell her that there are consequences and that she can't have everything, sometimes there is a reason that all the power doesn't belongs to one person, but to many different.  
The mortals have it kind of too, with the separation of the judicative and so on."

,,You're right."agrees China then and Tanith looks suprised at her only to quickly get a suspicious expression.

,,I am?"asks Tanith.

,,Sure."replies China ,,That still doesn't mean you have to response with violence."

,,We didn't responded with violence and even if we did, how the hell did that justify that you took hostages?"snaps Tanith angrily and China grins at her.

,,Well it seems to have worked my dear after all you are here."points China out.

,,It still goes against human rights it goes against moral and it is the basis for a system were you are the sole person holding all the power.  
That never goes well."growls Tanith.

,,Please Tanith I don't want to have the sole power."replies China calmy.

,,Really? Is this were you draw your line?"asks Tanith sarcastic and it is as clear as a day that she doesn't believe a single word China just said.

,,No not really, I just consider it to much work."replies China.

,,Of course."mutters Tanith quitly and slowly China gets insulted and narrows her eyes.

,,I know I am not perfect, but I am not completly evil despite what you may think and I think of Roarheaven as something that is a gift for all soccers and mages.  
A safe haven and that's what I am trying very hard to keep it."points China out.

,,I think we should go."whispers Valkyrie into Tempers ear and he absently nods at her and follows her when she leads him away.

,,Why did you invite the two, if you knew they don't like each other?"asks Temper questioning.

,,Oh they do like each other, they just don't know it yet."replied Valkyrie with a grin and Temper once again starred at her uncomprehending.

,,Ah come on,it can't just be me who wants them to get together."muttered Valkyrie while she looked at Temper unbelieving.

,,I fear you are wrong about that, I mean China....China? And Tanith?   
It sounds like they are the opposite of each other!"

,,Now you are just beeing dramatic."muttered Valkyrie and started sulking.

,,I have very right to be, did you even listen to them?  
They are probably going to kill each other."

,,That's totally not happening."

,,Please they are probably doing it right now."and as soon as the words left Tempers mouth they both looked over to the two woman.... 

,,You are basically a dictator."snapped Tanith her blue eyes full of rage.

,,And you are an unrealistic useless hippie."pointed China still calm out.

And that stung, after all Tanith had been or well.....at least she had spent many of her times at the time of the hippies, with the hippies and it always made her mad to hear people talk like that.  
That had been to far.  
How could she?  
How could SHE....  
She was beeing the unrealistic one....  
The bad one...  
Evil.

,,With how many of the man did you sleep with to get their loyalty?"spit Tanith out in the heat of their fight and almost immediately regretted it.  
But it was too late.

Don't let it show.  
That was China's lifelong rule, don't let them see their weakness.  
Pretend you are strong and never let them see if they hit you.  
They will only use it against you, echoed her grandmothers words in her ears and China rembered the cold stare of the woman long gone.  
Don't.  
Just.  
Just carry on.  
Pretend.  
Put the mask back on.  
I do that almost every day.  
I laugh.  
I smile.  
I can do this too.  
Don't.  
No honesty.  
No truth.  
Just be strong.  
Pretend.

Slowly she relaxes the grip of her hand around her glass, that she is gripping too tightly and relaxes.  
She can do this.  
Then she looks at Tanith and only then sees her face.  
Regret.  
Guilt.  
Pain.  
It makes China almost tell her the truth, instead habit takes over.

,,Really that is the best you could come up with?"asks China ,,I am a bit disappointed my dear."

,,I am sorry."told Tanith her,,you hurt me and I hurt you back."

And China looked at her.  
She looked sorry.  
Genuinely sorry.  
Honest.

Pretend.  
But the mask back on.  
I should lie to her.  
Tell her no words can hurt me.  
That I am always strong.

But instead China smiles at her and tells her that her words were hurtful.  
And Tanith smiles back ashamed of the choice of her words but glad that China is forgiving her.

And the Taniths smile becomes wicked ,,Dance with me?"

,,What?"asks China arching an eyebrow and looks at Tanith as if she just lost her mind.

,,Dance with me."says Tanith and gets up from her chair and then offers China her hand.

,,Dance with me."says Tanith once again and her eyes are laughing at China.

,,How could I ever refuse you?"says China and takes Taniths hand, almost suprised by herself.  
But after all she came to the bar to have fun, so going dancing is probably a good idea.

And it is.  
With Tanith by her side China can ignore all the stares and all the glares that are pointed at them.  
She knows they are there, they are always there.  
Eyeing her.  
Judging her.  
But China ignores them and instead dances with the woman before and follows her moves.  
The music helps too, she doesn't know what kind of music it is and she doesn't really care.  
But the music is alive and warm with a beat that you can perfectly dance to.

At that moment everything she can see are Taniths blue eyes.  
Eyes.  
So warm.  
So caring.  
Maybe that's why people love.  
To have these incredible short moments of pure happiness.  
Or maybe it isn't.  
Maybe something completely diffrent.  
I don't care.  
I care for her.  
Right now.

And they dance and Tanith is grinnig at her and China feels free so free.  
It's like somebody broke the chains that kept her a prisoner.  
Finally I am free.  
With her.

But the music starts to change and they both stop, as if they realised that the music that was taking over wasn't theirs.  
That they had to stopp.  
Sadly they smiled and walked away.

,,This was good."told Tanith grinning at her.  
And China immediately responded with a grin of her own.

,,Yes, yes it was."admits China and sits back on her chair and grins at Tanith.  
She feels exhausted from the dancing, but that probably is just because she doesn't have enough time to exercise anymore, now that she has all that work to do.

,,There are other thinghs that are good too."suggests Tanith with a smile and China just stares at her.  
What the....  
Is she really...?  
Or is she messing?  
Maybe it's about something diffrent.  
Maybe.  
I am not sure.....

But then Tanith seems to understand that she didn't got what she just said and leans forward and whispers ,,We could go back to my apartment and.....do some adult stuff."

And Chinas eyes widen and she grins.  
Yes.  
Yes.  
They could.  
And they will.

,,I would love too."replies China smiles at her.  
And Tanith loves that sight.  
Loves to see somone happy.

Like a stab in the heart pain reminds her that she never got to do this with Ghastly.  
But this time I won't wait.  
Not when time is running.  
Not again.  
This time.  
This will be diffrent.

,,Then let's go."tells Tanith her and China nods and Tanith leads the way put.  
On the way she catches Valkyries eye and winks.  
Good plan sis, she thinks while she leaves the bar.

,,I am impressed."admits Temper.

,,Perfect, then you now finally can admit that I am the perfect wing woman."tells Valkyrie him.

Temper stares at her ,,I am not entirely sure if they are going to stay together."

,,I don't know that either, but who cares?  
They are happy.  
So tell me aren't I the perfect wing woman?"asks Valkyrie again and Temper looks in her dark eyes that look at him so damn serious and he thinks:  
Either I spent the next hour arguing with her or I simply agree.

,,Of course."answers Temper hoping that will be the end of it.

,,Perfect, can I arrange a dare for you then?"asks Valkyrie with a grin and Temper feels a littel as if he should fear her.  
But he is single.....  
And maybe, it will work out.....  
After all it did with China and Tanith....

,,Sure."replies Temper.  
Immediatly Valkyrie beams at him and he smiles back at her.

,,It's going to be fun."  
A promise.

Tanith opened the door and they both slip onto her apartment and only when the door us closed they turn toward each other.  
Before China can move Tanith is kissing her soft and slow and China immediatly kisses her back.  
Slowly the kiss turns more passionate and Tanith starts to use her tongue, a favor that China returns.  
They let there hands wander too and it feels good so good....  
The skin soft and smooth and then these muscles......  
China thinks she is in love with these muscles and with the woman that is wearing them.  
Even if only for a night.  
And Tanith is letting her hands wander too caressing China and making her feel so wanted.  
She likes that.  
And for once it isn't somone wanting her, that she won't ever chose.  
This time it is a want she has herself fir the other woman.

,,I have a bedroom."says Tanith after breaking the kiss.

,,then show me the bedroom."replies Chiba with a grin and Tanith smiles at her and then takes her hand and leads her towards the room.  
China follows with a smile on her face.

As soon as Valkyrie enters her house she is greeted warmly.

,,You look happy."

,,I was a wing woman today."announces Valkyrie proudly and reaches down to pet Xena.

,,And who did you wing?"asks Melitisa amused.

,,Tanith and China."

,,That worked?"asked Militisa sounding rather astonished.

,,Of course I am a great wing woman."announces Valkyrie proudly and adds ,,I am going to be Tempers wingwoman next."

,,Why that obssision with beeing a wingowman out of the sudden?"asks Miltisa coursisly.

,,Our relationship is so wonderful and I wanted other people to have the same joy."tells Valkyrie and turns to softly kiss her.

Militsa kisses her back and then smiles at her ,,You know that not everyone wants a relationship?"

,,Of cousre, but I want them to have the opportunity to have such a wonderful relationship, like we have."says Valkyrie with smile.  
And her relationship is wonderfully.  
Full of love.  
Of care.  
Warmth.  
And it isn't perfect.  
They argue.  
But it is the best Valkyrie has.

,,Well then, my wing woman let's embrace our perfect relationship."says Miltisa with a grin and Valkyrie kisses her again.  
All loving.


End file.
